This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0302961 discloses an axle assembly having a bearing that directly supports a ring gear for rotation relative to an axle housing. A differential case that is mounted in the axle housing is driven by the ring gear and outputs rotary power to a pair of axle shafts. The axle shafts are supported on their inboard ends by bearings. While such configuration is suited for its intended purposes, there remains a need in the art for a similar type of axle assembly that packages the bearings for the axle shaft in a manner that is easier to assemble.